The Art of Styling Sentences, 4th Edition

Ann Longknife and K.D. Sullivan’s The Art of Styling Sentences is an excellent companion for anyone who would like to enrich his/her writing skills. The book delves into 20 patterns on how to write clear and prosperous sentences.

Each pattern is clearly explained with basic examples to help readers understand the concepts and structures. On top of that, the book provides professional examples written by well-known writers to show how the patterns are applied. Practice makes perfect and writing is no exception; therefore, there are exercises throughout the book to get your brain cooking.

Styling sentences is a work of art. Similar to design, you have to choose the right elements to make your writing live and efficient. I like the way the authors start out with the basic subject and verb then build up those basic elements into effective sentences. Your sentences grow as you delve deeper into the book.

Finally, the last chapter provides complete essays to demonstrate how the writing can be improve by using these patterns. The Art of Styling Sentences is a must have book and it deserves a space on my shelf next to William Struck Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style.